The above-referenced co-pending '317 application describes a new and improved portable telecommunications test system generally configured as diagrammatically illustrated in FIG. 1. As shown therein, such portable test system is comprised of a hand-held personal computer unit 10, through which a craftsperson, who has been dispatched to a service site that is remotely located with respect to a central office 12 serving a line to be tested (or line under test (LUT)) 16, may communicate with central office 12 and with a generic test head 14 that is connectable to the LUT 16. Hand-held personal computer unit 10 may comprise a Newton.TM. computer available from Apple Computer Corporation.
The test system functionality of the software contained within the craftsperson's hand-held computer unit 10 is operative to provide the service technician with a user-friendly, step by step test procedure that is designed to facilitate the craftsperson's ability to perform various tests on a selected line. In so doing, the craftsperson's portable computer is able to interact with multiple types of existing operational support systems, as well as provide a platform for add-on information exchanges. Via a contact-sensitive (pen touch-operated) video display panel 15, and an associated keyboard 17 of hand-held computer unit 10, the craftsperson is able to selectively invoke one or more test operations represented by a set of analysis and test function-associated icons. In response to these selections, the internal processor of unit 10 executes communication and signal processing operations associated with an identified test.
The test head 14 performs all data acquisition on demand from the personal computer unit 10, including functional tests. Test head 14 and hand-held personal computer unit 10 can be expanded through plug-in cards and software programs for coupling with various diverse types of communication links. The plug-in cards of the test head 14 may comprise a number of cards for coupling with various lines to be tested, such as, but not limited to, an analog telephone circuit card, an analog PL/SS card, a digital card for coupling with high speed digital transmission circuits, a fiber optic card for coupling with a fiber optic line, an integrated services digital network (ISDN) "U" interface card for coupling with an ISDN line, a community access television (CATV) card for coupling with a CATV transmission link; and an optical loop carrier/digital loop carrier card. Alternatively, the functionality of such plug-in cards may be implemented in communication application software that is executed by hand-held computer unit 10 or by a processor in the test head proper.
In order to communicate with (remote) central office 12 or with a data center 18 associated with the central office 12, the craftsperson's computer unit 10 contains a transceiver interface that enables it communicate with a communication and signal processing subsystem on board a technician's service vehicle or van 20. This transceiver interface is such as to enable communications between personal computer unit 10 and service vehicle 20 to be provided either by either a short haul wireless link, or an auxiliary back-up wireline. Such a transceiver interface may be implemented in the manner described in co-pending application Ser. No.08/338,916, filed coincident herewith, by O. Schillaci et al, entitled: "Wireless--Wireline Communications Selection Mechanism Resident in Craftsperson's Portable Test and Communications Device," assigned to the assignee of the present application and the disclosure of which is herein incorporated.
The service van's communication and signal processing subsystem, shown at 22, includes a battery holder/charging station 24, a printer 26, a long haul wireless interface 28 and a network server 29. Battery holder/charging station 24 is configured to receive and store the portable hand-held computer unit 10, so that the computer unit 10 may be secured stowed and its associated power supply (battery pack) may be recharged, when not in use. Printer 26 is available to print out various test results or other information. Long haul wireless interface 28 provides a wireless gateway to long haul wireless services, while network server 29 contains a file server that provides additional processing power and electronic data storage. Network server 29 is operative to perform auxiliary data processing tasks on demand from the computer unit 10.
Central office 12 typically includes a central office switch 31, central office test devices 33, and a line-conditioning device 35, such as a direct access test unit (DATU). The central office test devices 33 are capable of providing an interface with various operational support systems of the data center 18, such as a service vehicle dispatch, outside plant record database, automated testing systems, and electronic network schematics. The line-conditioning device (DATU) 35 within central office 12 provides the craftsperson with the ability to selectively conduct a number of tests of a line, by invoking specified key combinations (sequences) from a standard craftsperson's telephone test set.
In the course of conducting a test via test head 14, hand-held personal computer 10 receives the raw measured data from the test head and operates on the received data to convert the measurement results into usable parameter information. This usable parameter information is then linked (via a wireless or wireline link employed by the computer unit's transceiver interface) to the service vehicle's communication subsystem 22, so that it may be forwarded to a line conditioning device or automated test equipment in central office 12.
Although not shown in FIG. 1, the craftsperson may also be provided with an auxiliary voice-activated, wireless headset for conducting wireless voice communications with hand-held computer unit 10. Such a wireless headset can be used with the hand-held computer 10 and the test head 14 to run automated tests, with an audio go/no-go indication of the test results being provided to the craftsperson.
In a non-limiting example of responding to a customer service request, the portable telecommunications test system of FIG. 1 operates as follows. A craftsperson who has been dispatched to a test site (using service vehicle 20) proceeds to physically couple the test head 14 to the line under test. Using computer unit 10, the technician then establishes communications with the test head 14 and, via the communication subsystem 22 in van 20, with the central office, so that one or more tests may be placed on the line.
Using the computer's (contact-sensitive) display panel 15, once the technician has coupled the test head 14 to the line under test, the test application software resident in hand-held computer unit 10 is operative to display icons associated with respective test procedures for evaluating the LUT. In response to the service technician selecting a desired test function, the resident test software of computer unit 10 proceeds to interactively generate additional menus through which the craftsperson specifies further choices for defining parameters required for implementing the selected test. Based upon the choices selected by the craftsperson, computer unit 10 assembles and transmits a message to the test head and to the central office for establishing what test or tests are to be conducted and the parameters associated with those tests. The test head 14 measures the response of the line to various conditions placed on the line, and transmits the test response data back to computer unit 10. As pointed out above, computer unit 10 takes the raw data transmitted from the test head 14 and processes the data in accordance with an on-board test or line analysis program. Based upon the results of the processed information, the craftsperson may direct the test device to perform one or more additional tests, until the line has been completely tested.
Now although the mobility-enhancing system of the test system described in the '317 application is operative to by facilitate the craftsperson's access to and testing of a designated line, and thereby expedite the servicing of a customer request, it is intended to do so without requiring a replacement of the existing (central office) equipment employed by the telephone service provider. As a consequence, the manner in which the mobile test access system described in the '317 application communicates with and responds to information generated by remote (central office) equipment must be compatible with that equipment's signalling and data formats.
For example, in the case of performing line-conditioning tests, the direct access test unit 35 within central office 12 may be of the type described in the U.S. patent to A. Chan et al, No. 4,841,560 (the '560 patent), entitled: "Direct Access Test Unit for Central Office," issued Jun., 20, 1989, and the disclosure of which is herein incorporated. Such a DATU is operative to respond to the craftsperson selectively keying a specified audio tone combination from a telephone test handset, and to synthesize voice instructions to the craftsperson. Thus, for such an installation, whatever test/communication interplay is conducted between the portable computer 10 and central office 12 must be compatible with and operationally invisible to the tone and voice sequences used by the DATU.